Method and apparatus for processing multi-touch input at touch screen terminal

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for processing multi-touch input in a touch screen terminal in which application programs in form of subordinate sub-windows are displayed by detecting a movement and the number of touch flickings; and switching between sub-windows opened in the corresponding application program or between the application programs depending on the number of touch flickings.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for a touch screen, the method comprising:
 displaying a window of a first application program on the touch screen; 
 detecting a flicking of one or more fingers in the displayed window of the first application program on the touch screen; 
 determining a number of fingers in the detected flicking of one or more fingers in the displayed window of the first application program on the touch screen; and 
 if the determined number of fingers in the detected flicking is four or more:
 determining whether a second application program is running; 
 if it is determined that a second application is running, switching from the displayed window of the first application program to a window of the second application program; and 
 if it is determined that a second application is not running, performing a default action, wherein the default action comprises at least one of scrolling content in the displayed window of the first application program, switching from a currently-displayed sub-window of the first application program to a not-currently-displayed sub-window of the first application program, and performing no action. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 if the determined number of fingers in the detected flicking is one, scrolling content shown in the displayed window of the first application program in a direction of movement of the one touch flicking. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 if the determined number of fingers in the detected flicking is two, switching from a currently-displayed sub-window of the displayed first application program to a not-currently-displayed sub-window of the displayed first application program. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein at least one of the sub-windows comprises a tab-window. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the flicking of one or more fingers in the displayed window of the first application program on the touch screen comprises at least one of a swipe and a drag. 
     
     
       6. An apparatus, comprising:
 a touch screen; and 
 a controller which:
 controls the touch screen to display a window of a first application program, the first application program being one presently running on the apparatus; 
 if a flicking of one or more fingers is detected in the displayed window of the first application program running on the apparatus, determines a number of fingers in the detected flicking of one or more fingers in the displayed window of the first application program; 
 if the determined number of fingers detected in the flicking is four or more, determines whether a second application program is running; 
 if the determined number of fingers is four or more and it is determined that a second application program is running, controls the touch screen to switch from the displayed window of the first application program to a window of the second application program; and 
 if the determined number of fingers detected in the flicking is four or more and it is determined that a second application is not running, controls the apparatus to perform a default action, wherein the default action comprises at least one of scrolling content in the displayed window of the first application program, switching from a currently-displayed sub-window of the first application program to a not-currently-displayed sub-window of the first application program, and performing no action. 
 
 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the controller, if the determined number of fingers detected in the flicking is one, controls the touch screen to scroll content shown in the displayed window of the first application program in a direction of movement of the flicking. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the controller, if the determined number of fingers detected in the flicking is two, controls the touch screen to switch from a currently-displayed sub-window of the displayed first application to a not-currently-displayed sub-window of the first application. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the sub-windows comprises a tab-window. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the flicking of one or more fingers in the displayed window of the first application program on the touch screen comprises at least one of a swipe and a drag. 
     
     
       11. A method for a touch screen of a portable terminal, the method comprising:
 displaying a window of a first application program on the touch screen; 
 detecting a flicking of one or more fingers in the displayed window of the first application program on the touch screen; 
 determining a number of fingers in the detected flicking of one or more fingers in the displayed window of the first application program on the touch screen; 
 when the determined number of fingers in the detected flicking is one, scrolling content in the displayed window of the first application program; and 
 when the determined number of fingers in the detected flicking is four or more:
 determining whether a second application program is running; 
 if it is determined that a second application is running, switching from the displayed window of the first application program to a window of the second application program; and 
 if it is determined that a second application is not running, performing a default action, wherein the default action comprises at least one of scrolling content in the displayed window of the first application program, switching from a currently-displayed sub-window of the first application program to a not-currently-displayed sub-window of the first application program, and performing no action. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 when the determined number of fingers in the detected flicking is two, switching from a currently-displayed sub-window of the first application program to a not-currently-displayed sub-window of the first application program. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the sub-windows comprises a tab-window. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the flicking of one or more fingers in the displayed window of the first application program on the touch screen comprises at least one of a swipe and a drag. 
     
     
       15. An apparatus, comprising:
 a touch screen; and 
 a controller which:
 controls the touch screen to display a window of a first application program, the first application program being one presently running on the apparatus; 
 if a flicking of one or more fingers is detected in the displayed window of the first application program running on the apparatus, determines a number of fingers in the detected flicking of one or more fingers in the displayed window of the first application program; 
 if the determined number of fingers detected in the flicking is one, controls the touch screen to scroll content shown in the displayed window of the first application program in a direction of movement of the flicking; 
 if the determined number of fingers detected in the flicking is four or more, determines whether a second application program is running; 
 if the determined number of fingers is four or more and it is determined that a second application program is running, controls the touch screen to switch from the displayed window of the first application program to a window of the second application program; and 
 if the determined number of fingers detected in the flicking is four or more and it is determined that a second application is not running, controls the apparatus to perform a default action, wherein the default action comprises at least one of scrolling content in the displayed window of the first application program, switching from a currently-displayed sub-window of the first application program to a not-currently-displayed sub-window of the first application program, and performing no action. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the controller, if the determined number of fingers detected in the flicking is two, controls the touch screen to switch from a currently-displayed sub-window of the displayed first application to a not-currently-displayed sub-window of the first application. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the sub-windows comprises a tab-window. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the flicking of one or more fingers in the displayed window of the first application program on the touch screen comprises at least one of a swipe and a drag. 
     
     
       19. A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing code which, when executed by one or more processors of an apparatus including a touch screen, implements the performance of a method comprising:
 displaying a window of a first application program on the touch screen; 
 detecting a flicking of one or more fingers in the displayed window of the first application program on the touch screen; 
 determining a number of fingers in the detected flicking of one or more fingers in the displayed window of the first application program on the touch screen; and 
 if the determined number of fingers in the detected flicking is four or more:
 determining whether a second application program is running; and
 if it is determined that a second application is running, switching from the displayed window of the first application program to a window of the second application program; and 
 if it is determined that a second application is not running, performing a default action, wherein the default action comprises at least one of scrolling content in the displayed window of the first application program, switching from a currently-displayed sub-window of the first application program to a not-currently-displayed sub-window of the first application program, and performing no action. 
 
 
 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the method implemented by the stored code further comprises:
 if the determined number of fingers in the detected flicking is one, scrolling content shown in the displayed window of the first application program in a direction of movement of the one touch flicking. 
 
     
     
       21. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the method implemented by the stored code further comprises:
 if the determined number of fingers in the detected flicking is two, switching from a currently-displayed sub-window of the displayed first application program to a not-currently-displayed sub-window of the displayed first application program. 
 
     
     
       22. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the flicking of one or more fingers in the displayed window of the first application program on the touch screen comprises at least one of a swipe and a drag. 
     
     
       23. A method for a portable terminal with a touch screen, the method comprising:
 displaying a window of a first application program on the touch screen; 
 detecting a flicking of one or more fingers in the displayed window of the first application program on the touch screen; 
 determining a number of fingers in the detected flicking of one or more fingers in the displayed window of the first application program on the touch screen; 
 determining a direction of movement of the one or more fingers in the detected flicking; 
 when the determined number of fingers in the detected flicking is one:
 determining whether the first application program provides the capability for a user to scroll content in the displayed window; and 
 if it is determined that the first application program provides the capability for a user to scroll content and there is content to be scrolled, scrolling content in the displayed window of the first application program in the determined direction of movement of the flicking; and 
 
 when the determined number of fingers in the detected flicking is four or more:
 determining whether a second application program is running; 
 if it is determined that a second application program is running, switching from the displayed window of the first application program to a window of the second application program by moving the displayed window of the first application program out of view in the determined direction of movement of the flicking; and 
 if it is determined that a second application is not running, performing a default action, wherein the default action comprises at least one of scrolling content in the displayed window of the first application program, switching from a currently-displayed sub-window of the first application program to a not-currently-displayed sub-window of the first application program, and performing no action. 
 
 
     
     
       24. The method for a portable terminal of  claim 23 , wherein, if the determined number of fingers in the detected flicking is four or more and it is determined that a second application is running, the window of the second program application moves into view in the determined direction of movement of the flicking. 
     
     
       25. The method for a portable terminal of  claim 24 , wherein the window of the second program application moves into view in the determined direction of movement of the flicking at the same time as the displayed window of the first application program moves out of view in the determined direction of movement of the flicking. 
     
     
       26. The method for a portable terminal of  claim 23 , wherein, if the determined number of fingers in the detected flicking is four or more, it is determined that a second application is running, and the second program application has a currently open window, the displayed window of the first application program switches to the currently open window of the second application program by moving the displayed window of the first application program out of view in the determined direction of movement of the flicking. 
     
     
       27. The method for a portable terminal of  claim 23 , wherein the flicking of one or more fingers in the displayed window of the first application program on the touch screen comprises at least one of a swipe and a drag.